A Very Long Weekend: The Army National Guard in Korea, 1950-1953

William Berebitsky

Korea, 1950. Days after an ill-prepared, under-strength, United States Army went into combat, the call went out for the nation’s premier reserve force, the Army National Guard. This is their story. The story of combat veterans and underage boys who comprised the forty-three Guard units that served in Korea. Given little or no unit training, the first Guard units arrived at Pusan in January 1951, still wearing their summer uniforms.

When the Chinese launched their massive spring offensive that April, the Guard was there. Eight Guard artillery battalions played a crucial role in stopping the Chinese at the outskirts of Seoul. As the Guard’s artillery poured tons of steel on the advancing enemy, Guard truckers kept moving over roads and bridges built by Guard engineer units.

Meanwhile, fearing a Russian invasion of Japan, General Douglas MacArthur had requested National Guard divisions to defend the islands. Rushed to Japan, the 40th and 45th Guard divisions were the only major units on the islands for nine months. From there, they went into combat in Korea at such places as Outpost Eerie, T-bone Hill, and Old Baldy.

“A Very Long Weekend is a long overdue chronology of the Army National Guard’s necessary and valuable contributions to American security during the Korean Conflict. By weaving the stories of the Guardsmen who served with the political and military situation of the era, Bill Berebitsky gives us enduring insights into the many contributions made by these often overlooked citizen-soldiers. This is a valuable history filled with important lessons still relevant in today’s world.”

Deborah R. Lee, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs

“William Berebitsky’s superb A Very Long Weekend provides a dynamic and highly readable account of the patriotic service rendered by the U.S. Army’s citizen-soldiers in the Korean conflict, and his well-researched volume covers much new ground for the first time in documenting this important but often-neglected chapter of our nation’s military history with masterful accuracy.”

Shelby L. Stanton, Author, Vietnam Order of Battle

“As a former National Guardsman, I am pleased Bill Berebitsky has taken the time to write of the exploits of National Guardsmen during the Korean War…This is a well written account of the outstanding service of the National Guard during Korea from a human interest standpoint.”

Congressman G. V. “Sonny” Montgomery, Author of the Montgomery G.I. Bill, Member House National Security Committee